Device for removing hickies from printing plates



1954 w. B. LANG ETAL 3,144,826

DEVICE FOR REMOVING HICKIES FROM PRINTING PLATES Filed July 30, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 llpem 1 NM Fun! Aug. 18, 1964 w. B. LANG ETAL DEVICE FOR REMOVING HICKIES FROM PRINTING PLATES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 30, 1962 nHHn l. J. ||l| T 2 an WEEH MW in WZW a mflw mwunw HHU 2 NGE M illu United States Patent Office 3,144,826 Patented Aug. 18, 1964 3,144,826 DEVICE 1 R REMOVING HICKIES FROM PRINTING PLATES William B. Lang, fittsburgh, Pa., and Robert Reinartz and Hermann Fischer, Augsburg, Germany, assignors to Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Numberg A.G., Augsburg, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed July so, 1962, Ser. No. 213,543 Claims priority, application Germany Aug. 24, 1961 17 Claims. (Cl. 101-425) This invention relates to apparatus and devices for removing particles of dirt or foreign matter (frequently called hickies) adhering to the surface of printing plates and, more particularly, to such apparatus and devices for removing particles adhering to the surface of a printing plate while actually on the printing press and while the printing press is running.

As well understood in the printing art, there may frequently occur on the surface of printing plates adhering particles of dirt or agglomerated ink solids or paper fluff during the printing press run, which particles may be transferred to the surface of the plate from the inking mechanism or from. the surface of the paper or other material being printed, etc. Once adhering to the printing surface, however, such particles are themselves covered with ink in the next inking operation and form a spot or other imperfection which is transferred to the next sheet of paper to be printed.

Additionally, since such particles are on the printing plate surface, and consequently raised therefrom, there may also be produced immediately surrounding the particle an uninked area, depending on the resiliency of the inking roll surfaces, with the result that the imperfection in the printed image caused by the particle may take the form of a black dot the size of the particle surrounded by a white or unprinted area, thus causing a substantial and undesired imperfection in the final printed result, especially when the particle lies on a portion of the image area of the printing plate instead of merely in an unprinted background area. As well understood in the printing trade, such particles adhering to the surface of the printing plate and/or the imperfections caused by them in the final printed result are frequently referred to as hickies or doughnuts.

It is apparent, of course, that such particles may appear at different portions of the printing plate and at different times during the printing press run. Similarly, the appearance of such hickies or doughnuts is readily noticed as the printed sheets come off the press, so that, to keep the Waste of imperfectly printed sheets to a minimum, it may be desired to remove such particles from the printing plate surface as soon as they are detected.

If it is attempted to remove such particles manually while the printing press is in operation, severe dangers to the operating personnel may result because of the inaccessibility of the surface of the printing plate except through other moving parts of the printing press. Even if it is attempted to remove such particles with a tool or other device during printing press operation, some further disruption of the ink film on the plate surface may occur, and especially with printing presses of a lithographic type where the establishing of inked and non-inked areas of the printing plate depends upon sequential and balanced application of aqueous fountain solution and greasy printing ink to the plate surface.

Thus, with many types or arrangements of lithographic presses, a point of accessibility to the plate cylinder surface occurs only after the printing plate has been moistened or inked, so that the actual removal of a particle or hickie may create additional printing imperfections on the plate surface causing additional waste of printed sheets, as well as great danger of injury to the press operator by having to reach into the printing press for accessibility of the plate surface while the press is in operation. Also, especially with lithographic presses, it may not be advantageous or desirable to stop the printing press for the purpose of removing a particle from the plate surface because the finely balanced metering and application of ink films and water films to the printing plate surface must be reestablished anew each time the press is stopped and with additional wasting of printed sheets until the desired operating balance is reestablished.

According to this invention, by contrast, apparatus and devices are provided for the simple and easy removal of particles or hickies from the surface of printing plates and during the operation of the printing press, which apparatus and devices include a spatula mounted in convenient association with the printing plate cylinder and readily and safely operable from a remote position free of danger to the operator so as to move the spatula across the plate surface depending upon where a particle is to be removed and for contacting substantially no more of the plate surface than is required to remove the particle regardless of the continued rapid operation of the printing press. As a further feature of this invention, there are also provided means within the printing press or on the plate cylinder itself for cleaning the spatula after each use, and for positioning the apparatus at a position with respect to the direction of rotation of the plate cylinders so that particles are removed therefrom before the printing plate surface is contacted by inking and/ or moistening rolls to minimize the number of printed sheets which must be wasted or rejected for printed image imperfections caused by either the particles on the plate surface or disruptions in the ink film on the plate caused by the removal of the particles.

With the foregoing and additional objects in mind, this invention will now be more particularly described, and other objects and advantages thereof will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 illustrates schematically or diagrammatically a portion of a printing press, particularly a lithographic offset press, having the invention applied to; and

FIG. 2 is an elevation view, looking from the right hand side of FIG. 1, of apparatus embodying and for practicing this invention as illustrated in FIG. 1 with some parts being omitted or broken away for clarity.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views thereof, there is indicated somewhat diagrammatically an arrangement of apparatus in a lithographic offset press having a conventional plate cylinder 10 around the surface of which a lithographic plate is secured in known manner, and a rubber blanket offset cylinder 11 for receiving an inked image from plate cylinder 10 and transferring such image, in known manner, to paper or other material to be printed against a conventional impression cylinder (not shown).

Plate cylinder 10 and blanket cylinder 11 are illustrated as being rotatably mounted on, respectively, shafts 12 and 13 extending between main side frame members 14 and 15 of the printing press. Cooperating with the printing plate surface of plate cylinder 10, in known and con ventional manner with lithographic presses, are water fountain rolls 20-22, and a plurality of conventional inking roller mechanisms indicated at 23-28 (all of which rolls are omitted for clarity from the showing of FIG. 2). As will be understood, during rotation of plate cylinder 10 in the direction indicated by the arrow, a lithographic printing plate on the surface thereof first contacts water fountain rolls 20-22 for the application over the surface of the printing plate background areas thereof. The thus moistened plate subsequently contacts the various inking mechanisms 2328 for the application of a film of printing ink to image areas of the plate, which film is subsequently transferred to blanket cylinder 11 as an ink image thereon, and thereafter transferred to the paper or other material to be printed against an impression cylinder (not shown).

A spatula 30, preferably formed of a synthetic plastic such as methyl methacrylate, is mounted on a holder or a carrier 31 therefor, as by bolts 32, and in a position such that the upper edge of spatula can be brought into contact with the surface of plate cylinder 10. Holder 31 is, in turn, mounted on a rod 35 extending across the printing press and affixed to the side frames 14, 15 thereof, with holder 31 being slidably and rotatably carried by rod 35 so that spatula 30 may be moved to any of a variety of positions axially along cylinder and also moved toward and away from the surface of cylinder 10. Such movement of spatula 30 and holder 31 is preferably accomplished by an operating handle 37 affixed to holder 31 and extending through the printing press mechanism and away from the moving parts thereof to a point where an operator may easily and safely manipulate handle 37 without risk of danger from the moving parts of the printing press. As an aid in sliding holder 31 along rod 35 and in rotating or tilting holder 31 to position spatula 30 as desired with respect to the surface of plate cylinder 10, ball bearings, generally indicated at 38, may be provided within holder 31 for engaging rod 35 and facilitating the sliding and tilting movement of holder 31 with respect thereto.

Somewhat above rod 35 and generally adjacent to spatula 30 on holder 31, there are provided rails 40 and 41 also extending across the printing press and carried by side frames 14 and 15 thereof, with rails 40 and 41 being spaced apart and positioned one on either side of spatula as indicated in FIG. 1. On that portion of holder 31 extending between rails 40 and 41 is also provided an adjustable stud or stop member, illustrated as bolt 42, for limiting or adjusting the extent of tilting or angular movement of holder 31 around rod 35 and between stationary rails and 41.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, holder 31 and spatula 30 thereon are readily moved to any axial position along the surface of plate cylinder 10, and may also be tilted toward or away from the surface of plate cylinder 10 merely by manipulation of handle 37. In this manner, when a particle or hickie is discovered to exist on the surface of plate cylinder 10, spatula 30 is merely moved axially to a point in line with the hickie, and then handle 37 raised to the position shown in FIG. 1 to bring the upper edge of spatula 30 actually in contact with the surface of cylinder 10 at least long enough to scrape or remove the particle or hickie from the surface of the cylinder. Merely releasing handle 37, then, allows the weight thereof to rotate holder 31 about rod 35 so that spatula 30 is no longer in contact with the surface of cylinder 10 and until the right hand end of bolt or stud 42 engages rail 41 to maintain spatula 30 in a position out of contact with any of the moving mechanism.

Bolt 42 is also adjustable so that, when spatula 30 is in particle-removing position as in FIG. 1, the upper edge thereof merely touches the surface of plate cylinder 10 to avoid bearing against it with such force as might scratch or mar the surface. Also, there may optionally although preferably be arranged on a visible surface of rail 41 or elsewhere a calibrated scale (indicated at 45) as an aid to the operator in rapidly positioning holder 31 and spatula 30 at the particular axial point along plate cylinder 10 at which a particle or hickie has been found to exist by examination of the printed sheets coming olf the press.

It is preferred that spatula 30 and the appertaining apparatus just described be mounted in a printing press in a position to contact the surface of cylinder 10 at a point in the rotation thereof prior to the application of either a moistening film from fountain rolls 20-22 or a printing ink film from inking mechanism 23-28 so that any streaks or other marks produced by spatula 39 in contacting the surface of cylinder 10 for the removal of a particle may be immediately eradicated or corrected by the fountain rolls and inking mechanism prior to the next subsequent printing impression in order to minimize as much as possible the number of printed sheets which must be wasted or rejected as having a printing imperfection therein. Particularly with lithographic presses where a perfectly inked image depends upon the careful application of both an aqueous fountain solution film and an ink film, the positioning shown in FIG. 1 with respect to the rotation of plate cylinder 10 and the orientation of the inking and moistening apparatus with respect thereto is preferred, and is readily accomplished in accordance herewith with most types or arrangements of printing presses in view of the remote operation by handle 37, which can readily extend through the mechanism to a readily accessible and safe operating position. In any event, it is preferred that the spatula 30 be arranged to contact the surface of plate cylinder 10 at some point prior to the final application of a printing ink film on the printing plate even with printing plates of other than lithographic character.

In order to clean the scraping edge of spatula 30 after each use or as may be desired and without the necessity of reaching into the operating mechanism, there is preferably provided a scraper blade 50, mounted in a holder 51 therefor as by bolts 52, and positioned for rotation with the plate cylinder at some convenient location thereon. In the illustrated embodiment, blade 50 and holder 51 are illustrated as being mounted at one end of plate cylinder 10 and closely adjacent the periphery thereof, although blade 50 is also satisfactorily mounted within the conventional axial groove long plate cylinder utilized to accommodate the clamping mechanism for the opposite axial edges of printing plates mounted around the surface of the cylinder. In such manner, spatula 30 and holder 31 therefor are merely slid along rod 35 to a point aligned with blade 50 and beyond the edge of spatula 30, as cylinder 10 rotates, to remove from spatula 30 ink or dirt or particles adhering thereto and having been scraped off the surface of plate cylinder 10 as described above.

Thus there is provided in accordance with this invention apparatus for quickly and easily removing particles or hickies from the surface of printing plates virtually immediately, as soon as the presence of the particle is discovered, and without either stopping the printing press or endangering the operator attempting to remove the particle. Additionally, the apparatus in accordance herewith is extremely simple and economical to construct and is readily applicable to a wide variety of printing press mechanisms and arrangements without requiring redesigning or alteration thereof. The arrangements hereof provide for removing a particle or hickie from the printing plate while contacting the blade only momentarily in an area restricted generally to the vicinity of the particle being removed and without disrupting inordinately the entire ink or water film across the whole printing plate surface. Although mechanism embodying and for practicing this invention may be mounted at a variety of different positions in the printing press, the entire mechanism is sufficiently compact that it is readily and preferably included at a point where the spatula contacts the plate cylinder surface prior to the application of a moistening film and/or ink to the printing plate so that, even with extremely high speed press runs, a particle or hickie may be removed quickly and in a way which minimizes the number of imperfectly printed sheets which are produced during or as a result of the particle removal operation.

While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for removing particles of foreign matter adhering to the surface of a printing plate mounted on a plate cylinder of a rotary printing press in which said plate cylinder has applied thereto repeatedly during the operation of said printing press a film of ink, said apparatus being adapted for removing said particles while said printing press is in operation and during continued rotation of said plate cylinder therein, which comprises in combination a transverse rod mounted across said printing press and adjacent the surface of said plate cylinder and said printing plate thereon, a spatula member having a scraping edge for contacting said printing plate on said plate cylinder in an area thereof where said particle is adhering for removing said particle, means for mounting said spatula member on said transverse rod for axial and angular movement with respect thereto, said transverse rod and said spatula member thereon being disposed in said printing press for contacting said printing plate at an angular position in the rotation of said plate cylinder prior to the application of said ink film thereto, and operating means for moving said spatula and said scraping edge thereof angularly into and out of contact with said printing plate and axially of said plate cylinder during rotation thereof for contacting said printing plate at any point on the surface thereof where said particle may be adhering.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said print ing plate on said plate cylinder has applied thereto re peatedly during operation of said printing press films of both ink and fountain solution, and in which said trans verse rod and said spatula member thereon are disposed in said printing press for contacting said printing plate at an angular position in the rotation of said plate cylinder prior to the application of both said ink and fountain solution films thereto.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 which said operating means includes means for moving said spatula member axially of said transverse rod and angularly into and out of contact with said plate cylinder, said operating means extending from said spatula member through said printing press to a position which is readily and safely accessible during continued operation of said printing press.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 3 in which said operating means also forms means for normally urging said spatula member out of contact with the surface of said printing plate on said plate cylinder.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 which also includes ball bearing means for mounting said spatula member on said transverse rod for free and easy axial and angular movement thereon.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 which also includes adjustable stop means for adjustably limiting said angular movement of said spatula member toward and away from said surface of said plate cylinder.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 in which said operating means includes a handle for moving said spatula member axially of said plate cylinder and angularly into and out of contact with the surface thereof, said handle extending through said printing press to a readily and safely accessible position therein, and a calibrated axial scale disposed adjacent said handle for indicating the axial point on said plate cylinder at which said spatula member is located.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 which also includes a moving blade for cleaning said scraping edge of said spatula member, and means for mounting said blade in said printing press and disposed therein at a point adjacent said spatula member and within the extent of movement thereof permitting selectively moving said scraping edge into contact with said cleaning blade.

p 9. Apparatus for removing particles of foreign matter adhering to the surface of a printing plate mounted on a plate cylinder of a rotary printing press, said apparatus being adapted for removing said particles while said printing press is in operation and during continued rotation of said plate cylinder therein, which comprises in combination a transverse rod mounted across said printing press and adjacent the surface of said plate cylinder and said printing plate thereon, a spatula member having a scraping edge for contacting said printing plate on said plate cylinder in an area thereof where said particles are adhering for removing said particles, means for mounting said spatula member on said transverse rod for axial and angular movement with respect thereto, operating means for moving said spatula member and said scraping edge thereof angularly into and out of contact with said printing plate and axially of said plate cylinder during rotation thereof for contacting said printing plate at any point on the surface thereof where said particles may be adhering, adjustable stop means for adjustably limiting said angular movement of said spatula member toward and away from said surface of said plate cylinder and including a stationary rail across said printing press and on each side of said spatula member, and an adjustable stop on said spatula member and disposed between said rails for abutting contact therewith of angular movement of said spatula member.

10. Apparatus for removing particles of foreign matter adhering to the surface of a printing plate mounted on a cylinder of a rotary printing press, said apparatus being adapted for removing said particles while said printing press is in operation and during continued rotation of said plate cylinder therein, which comprises in combination a transverse rod mounted across said printing press and adjacent the surface of said plate cylinder and said printing plate thereon, a spatula member having a scraping edge for contacting said printing plate on said plate cylinder in an area thereof Where said particle is adhering for removing said particle, means for mounting said spatula member on said transverse rod for axial and angular movement with respect thereto, and operating means for moving said spatula member and said scraping edge thereof angularly into and out of contact with said printing plate and axially of said plate cylinder during rotation thereof for contacting said printing plate at any point on the surface thereof where said particle may be adhering, a moving blade for cleaning said scraping edge of said spatula member, said blade being mounted on said plate cylinder for rotation therewith but out of contact with said surface of said printing plate thereon, and means for mounting said blade in said printing press and disposed therein at a point adjacent said spatula member and within the extent of movement thereof permitting selectively {Hog/ing said scraping edge into contact with said cleaning 11. Apparatus as recited in claim 10 in which said cleaning blade is mounted on said plate cylinder and at one end thereof axially beyond the area of said printing plate thereon.

12. Apparatus as recited in claim 11 in which said operating means includes means for moving said spatula member axially of said plate cylinder and angularly into and out of contact therewith and with said cleaning blade, said operating means extending through said printing press to a readily and safely accessible point therein.

13. Apparatus as recited in claim 10 in which said printing plate on said plate cylinder has applied thereto repeatedly during operation of said printing press films of both ink and fountain solution, and in which said transverse rod and said spatula member thereon are disposed in said printing press for contacting said printing plate in an angular position in the rotation of said plate cylinder prior to the application of both said ink and said fountain solution films thereto.

14. Apparatus as recited in claim 10 in which said printing plate on said plate cylinder has applied thereto repeatedly during operation of said printing press films of ink, and in which said transverse rod and said spatula member thereon are disposed in said printing press for contacting said printing plate at an angular position in the rotation of said plate cylinder prior to the last application of said ink films thereto.

15. Apparatus as recited in claim 10 in which said printing plate on said plate cylinder has applied thereto repeatedly during the operation of said printing press films of fountain solution, and in which said transverse rod and said spatula member thereon are disposed in said printing press for contacting said printing plate at an angular position of rotation of said plate cylinder prior to the last application of said fountain solution film thereto.

16. Apparatus for removing particles of foreign matter adhering to the surface of a printing plate mounted on a plate cylinder of a rotary printing press in which said printing plate on said plate cylinder has applied thereto repeatedly during operation of said printing press a film of ink, said apparatus being adapted for removing said particles while said printing press is in operation and during continued rotation of said plate cylinder therein, which comprises in combination a transverse rod mounted across the printing press and adjacent the surface of said plate cylinder and said printing plate thereon, a spatula member having a scraping edge for contacting said printing plate on said plate cylinder in an area thereof where said particles are adhering for removing said particles, said transverse rod and said spatula member thereon being disposed in said printing press for contacting said printing plate at an angular position in the rotation of said plate cylinder prior to the application of said ink film thereto, means for mounting said spatula on said transverse rod for axial and angular movement with respect thereto, operating means for moving said spatula member and said scraping edge thereof angularly into and out of contact withsaid printing plate and axially of said plate cylinder during rotation thereof for contacting said printing plate at any point on the surface thereof where said particle may be adhering, a moving blade for cleaning said scraping edge of said spatula being mounted on said plate cylinder for rotation therewith, but out of contact with said surface of said printing plate thereon, and

means for mounting said blade in said printing press and disposed therein at a point adjacent said spatula member and Within the extent of movement thereof permitting selectively moving said scraping edge into contact with said cleaning blade.

17. Apparatus for removing particles of foreign matter adhering to the surface of a printing plate mounted on a plate cylinder of a rotary printing press, said apparatus being adapted for removing said particles while said printing press is in operation and during continued rotation of said plate cylinder therein, which comprises in combination a transverse rod mounted across said printing press and adjacent the surface of said plate cylinder and said printing plate thereon, a spatula member having a scraping edge for contacting said printing plate on said plate cylinder in an area thereof where said particle is adhering for removing said particle, means for mounting said spatula member on said transverse rod for axial and angular movement with respect thereto, operating means for moving said spatula member and said scraping edge thereof angularly into and out of contact with said printing plate and axially of said plate cylinder during rotation thereof for contacting said printing plate at any point on the surface thereof where said particle may be adhering, said operating means extending from said spatula memher through said printing press to a position which is readily and safely accessible during continued operation of said press and forming means for normally urging said spatula member out of contact with said printing plate, and stop means including a stationary rail across said press and on each side of said spatula member for adjustably limiting angular movement of said spatula member about said transverse rod toward and away from the surface of said printing plate on said plate cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,138,342 Wood May 4, 1915 2,052,679 Wainwright et al Sept. 1, 1936 2,393,992 Kauffeld Feb. 5, 1946 2,435,009 Kief Jan. 27, 1948 2,704,029 George Mar. 15, 1955 2,793,739 Callery May 28, 1957 

1. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING PARTICLES OF FOREIGN MATTER ADHERING TO THE SURFACE OF A PRINTING PLATE MOUNTED ON A PLATE CYLINDER OF A ROTARY PRINTING PRESS IN WHICH SAID PLATE CYLINDER HAS APPLIED THERETO REPEATEDLY DURING THE OPERATION OF SAID PRINTING PRESS A FILM OF INK, SAID APPARATUS BEING ADAPTED FOR REMOVING SAID PARTICLES WHILE SAID PRINTING PRESS IS IN OPERATION AND DURING CONTINUED ROTATION OF SAID PLATE CYLINDER THEREIN, WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION A TRANSVERSE ROD MOUNTED ACROSS SAID PRINTING PRESS AND ADJACENT THE SURFACE OF SAID PLATE CYLINDER AND SAID PRINTING PLATE THEREON, A SPATULA MEMBER HAVING A SCRAPING EDGE FOR CONTACTING SAID PRINTING PLATE ON SAID PLATE CYLINDER IN AN AREA THEREOF WHERE SAID PARTICLE IS ADHERING FOR REMOVING SAID PARTICLE, MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID SPATULA MEMBER ON SAID TRANSVERSE ROD FOR AXIAL AND ANGULAR MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO, SAID TRANSVERSE ROD AND SAID SPATULA MEMBER THEREON BEING DISPOSED IN SAID PRINTING PRESS FOR CONTACTING SAID PRINTING PLATE AT AN 